1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image formation processing having an image rotation function for conforming an orientation of an image to an orientation of a sheet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional copy machines have an image rotation function for conforming an orientation of a document and an orientation of a sheet. The copy machine rotates an image of the document by 90 degrees by using the memory therein. The image rotation function is not a function such as a magnification being changed for each copy but is a function which is rarely changed once the function is designated. Therefore, the image rotation function is not changed by a direct key such as a reset key, a magnification key on an operation panel, or the like. The image rotation function is changed by several complicated key actions. Thereby, preventing accidental cancellation of the image rotation function. The copy machine has an auto sheet selection function by which the copy machine selects a sheet feeding unit automatically in accordance with a document size including an orientation of the document.
On the other hand, conventional copy machines have a cover/sheet insertion function by which the copy machine feeds a cover sheet or inserts a sheet from a predetermined sheet feeding unit on a predetermined page. Another conventional copy machine has a different size documents feeding function which the copy machine selects a sheet feeding unit each time a document is fed in accordance with a document size. Another certain copy machine has a staple function which the copy machine staples copy sheets.
However, when a copy machine performs the image rotation function, the auto sheet selection function, and the cover/sheet insertion function in the same job, the orientation of the cover sheet or the insert sheet fed from the predetermined sheet feeding unit may be different from the orientation of the plain sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit selected by the auto sheet selection function and the selected image rotation function. In this situation, the user must orient these sheets.
There exists another problem, when a copy machine performs the image rotation function, the auto sheet selection function, and the different size documents function in the same job, a problem similar to the above problem may arise. That is, when documents comprising A4 documents and A3 documents are set on the copy machine having only A4R sheets and A3 sheets but not A4 sheets, the copy machine copies the A4 document onto the A4R sheet, the A3 document onto the A3 sheet. If the user wants to bind the long edge of A4R sheet and the short edge of A3 sheet together, the user must orient these sheets. Another problem exists when a copy machine performs the image rotation function, the auto sheet selection function, and the staple function in the same job. In this case, the copy machine will change from a sheet feeding unit having A4 size sheets to a sheet feeding unit having A4R size sheets in the middle of the job because of a luck of a paper in another sheet feeding unit having A4 size sheets. In this situation, these different oriented sheets are stapled together.
An object of the present invention is to provide image forming processing which can prevent the image rotation function causing situations which the user does not want.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides image forming apparatus comprising a sheet feeder for feeding a sheet, a sheet size detector for detecting a size of the sheet fed by the sheet feeder, the sheet size includes an orientation of the sheet, an image size detector for detecting a size of an image to be formed, the image size includes an orientation of the image, an image rotator for rotating the image, image forming means for forming the image on the sheet fed by the sheet feeder, a terminal for inputting a designation of a sheet handling, and a controller for controlling the image rotator in accordance with detection results of the sheet size detector and image size detector, and for inhibiting the image rotation by the image rotator in case where a predetermined sheet handling designation is input from the terminal.
Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the drawings.